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Day Tripping
Another lovely blog, Sylvia ? I would probably have also taken up the offer of exploring somewhere new too. Lovely experiences, particularly in being hosted so warmly in a local Berber home. Ah, the hassle of local sellers certainly is one of my pet peeves in some countries, it sounds like you handled it well. I think I also dined once at the McDonald's next to the train station in Marrakesh, as I too was coming to the end of my Moroccan journey, and was yearning for some western treats. Take heart that the postcards may eventually arrive. My postcards I sent home from Syria and Senegal took more than six months to arrive, but they still made it in the end!

Marvellous Marrakesh
What a lovely account of your first full day in Marrakesh, and it's just amazing how much you were able to pack in to the single day! Indeed, what a good job you'd had an early night the night before! It's very notable how much detail and intricacy you are able to observe and write about here, and what a lovely, sumptuous dining experience you had to top off the amazing day. Some may indeed call it "touristy", I would say go with the flow and enjoy every minute of it, as it seems you very much did! ?

Beautiful Marrakesh
Ah, I remember Marrakesh - hectic, exotic and beautiful! I would have certainly done the same thing I think, enjoy an early night in and rest at your lovely hotel, ready for the following full day of explorations.

Aït Ben Haddou
Lovely to read about your visit to Aït Ben Haddou. It indeed looks very familiar from a number of films I've seen. What an interesting way of creating art there, the "sugar paintings"! I'm glad to read you made it eventually to Marrakesh. I look forward to reading about your time there ?

A nice Moroccan day trip
I never tire of tea ceremonies. Morocco has so much to offer and remains one of my favorite countries. The foods, the aromas, the spices and the lovely people. Yes, some are zealous in their desire to make a living but that is part of life on the road.

Baking Bread
Your words take me to Armenia, Sylvia and a shipping container on a freezing night on Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan where the aroma and sharing of hot baked bread bonded those intrepid souls who broke the bread straight from the oven and the stories they told. Is there a song that goes with it? Yes. "Never Baked Bread Before" that I have posted on the "Surviving Covid-19..the Music" thread in the World Music Forum. My mind can smell your Moroccan bread now and the pleasure it did bring.

Oops!
I didn't think that for a moment! I never thought you would be anything but every bit as interested in the different ways people live their lives, and how lucky you were to be invited into someone's home - as you say, why else do we travel? It does take a bit of getting used to though to be eating with the men as a guest knowing the women of the family are all in the kitchen beavering away to serve you. It's quite hard to get a glimpse of women's lives sometimes - that's one reason why I always try to go to a local beauty shop for a pedicure or manicure when I'm away like that - it opens a door to the womens' world in quite a different way. We were invited to a village wedding in Syria years ago - such a different experience. Two completely separate parties - the men all together in the village square listening to speeches and the women in the village hall.singing and dancing and lots of oohs and aahs and clapping as the bride paraded in and out in a constant change of clothes that formed her trousseau.

Great way to end your trip.
This looks to have been a perfect way to end your tour. It’s always so interesting to see how other people live. I smiled at your thoughts on the kitchen. Almost certainly the women would be cooking and serving the food to the men (who would be sitting on the floor in the room with the seating all around the walls) as it is done - and then eating after them. Our way of preparing a meal and all sitting down together is quite alien and that plus our consumer society has led to the kitchens we expect. I remember when I went to Spain back in the early 70s to visit a friend who was teaching there. She was sharing a lovely flat with friends - big rooms and very elegant - and the most basic little kitchen. Why? Because when the apartments were built everyone had a maid to do the cooking as the family ate and there was “no need” for more! I’ve been to dinner in Syrian homes where it is just like that.

A grand day out
What a lovely day you had, despite that pesky seller. The Jardin Aromatique d’ Ourika sounds divine, and I absolutely agree with you that the smell of baking bread is one of life's pleasures! How lovely of you to save apples for those horses... they have a pretty miserable life and would have loved your kindness. I'm looking forward to reading of your experiences in Essaouira! Cheers, Ren :)

Beautiful Ourika Valley
You seem to have had an excellent tour of the Ourika Valley, apart from those over-persistent souvenir sellers. I'm glad your guide was able to give you some protection eventually, but he shouldn't have needed to be told imho. The gardens and foot bath sound especially lovely! We did visit the valley but it was only two days after I broke my foot and I was struggling a bit with my crutches, so we mostly enjoyed it from the back of the car, although we did stop to see argan oil being produced. You've made me realise we should go again if we're ever back in Marrakech!

Sounds like a great tour, despite the minibus.
Nice to read about your tour of Iceland. I've read several accounts of that VT meeting from others who attended, sorry I couldn't be there myself. My only proper visit to Iceland (apart from midnight stops for refueling) was a 48-hour stopover organized by Icelandic Airlines in the 1960s. We made good use of those 48 hours, but still only saw a small slice of the country. Thanks for finding my post on the Montparnasse Tower. All the best, Don (Nemorino on VT)